Visitors with limited mobility and wheelchair users

The Dry Dock, Dockyard Museum, Brunel Institute and the ship are fully accessible for wheel chair users. Both levels of Being Brunel have wheelchair and step-free access following an alternative route. Please be aware that the Dock Office (part of Being Brunel) is a historic building with narrow corridors and doorways.

To avoid the uneven cobblestones through the main gate we have an alternative entrance by the Harbourside Kitchen.

As some cabins are too narrow for standard wheelchairs we have special wheelchairs available for visitors to use free of charge.

Deaf and hard of hearing visitors

Our British Sign Language (BSL) hand-held interactive video tours have been developed for adults and for children. Please pre-book to avoid disappointment. Assistance dogs are welcome.

The Viridor Theatre in the Brunel Institute is fitted with an audio loop.

Blind and partially sighted visitors

We have a tactile model of the SS Great Britain to help you enjoy your visit. If you would like access to this model, we recommend that you contact us in advance.

Guide and assistance dogs are welcome. We also recommend a sighted assistant join you when you visit. They will receive free entry.

Visual Story and Sensory Information Guide

The Visual Story and Sensory Information Guides are designed to help children prepare for their visit to Brunel’s SS Great Britain. The guides contain pictures and information about some of the things you can expect to see and do on site. The guides can be downloaded below in PDF or adaptable PowerPoint format (PPT).

Lifts

Lifts are available in the Dry Dock, the Dockyard Museum, Being Brunel, on board the ship and in the Brunel Institute.

Disabled toilets

Toilets can be found in the Harbourside Kitchen, the Visitor Centre (ticket office and shop), the Brunel Institute, on the ground floor in the Dockyard Museum, both levels of Being Brunel and on the Saloon Deck on board ship, next to the First Class Dining Saloon.

Brunel's SS Great Britain received the Rough Guide to Accessible Britain award for ‘Best Heritage Venue’. It has also been recognised by the Access Association for its commitment to giving the best experience possible to its visitors.

“The Access Association has been impressed with the level of commitment given to resolving issues within this historic dockyard.”